At last a home that fulfills the
needs of the billionaire class

Raising the Bar

Cliché or not, new developments are going up in the world with super-luxe offerings and prices to match. An ad for Chi gives the picture — “So many Billionaires, So Few Homes in the Sky.”

Developers, Miami-based Bruce Goldstein and NY-based Kevin Maloney of Ocean Palm Development, plan to fill the niche with Chi at 15795 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach, due to break ground later this year.

Miami architects Sieger Suarez have designed a 39-story building with only 38 residences, one per floor. Each oceanfront unit will have 4,700 square feet of indoor living space and 1,300 of outdoor living space, totaling a house-sized 6,000 square feet. Owners can swim in their own private, mineral water pool on the terrace (Perrier or Zephyr Hills?) or head down to the lobby level Indonesian-style pool with underwater music, poolside cabanas and shaded daybeds. Just about every imaginable luxury is promised, from an Indonesian-style rain shower, two fireplaces and a midnight kitchen and summer kitchen in each unit to the building’s world-class spa, fully equipped fitness center, zen library (the design or the books?), climate-controlled wine cellar and business center with state-of-the-art video conferencing. A personal butler and chauffeur-driven Bentley will be on hand plus private jet reservations — but of course!

With interior design by Jaya Ibrahim, noted for his work on The Setai in Miami Beach and the Legian in Bali, owners can expect his signature mix of Javanese and European culture and influences. Price for all this luxury: between $5 and $6 million.

Buzz

The rush to bring new hotels to South Beach shows few signs of slowing down. Latest reports: The James Hotel Group, noted for its Chicago property, will be transforming The Days Inn South Beach at 100 21st Street (just behind the uber-smart Setai) into a stylish hostelry boasting the James “classic guest-centric hospitality.” It will be interesting to see how the James’ founders, Danny Errico’s and Brad Wilson’s core philosophy --“compassion for the guest”—plays out in Miami Beach. 

Just up the road at 2360 Collins Avenue, the former Ankara motel, a MiMo (Miami Modern) architectural gem, which was slated to be the Rivage condominium, is now transmogrifying into a trendy Thompson Hotel. That’s the company that runs the oh-so-chic 60 Thompson “luxury-driven lifestyle hotel” in Manhattan's SoHo District. The South Beach property will see a number of design modifications, up for approval by the Historic Preservation Board and Miami Beach Planning Department in coming weeks. Stay tuned for more details.

And Kudos to the Miami chapter of CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women) for bringing the national CREW Careers interactive program to the area. The educational and mentoring program, which reaches out to more than 800 teenage girls in 26 cities, is designed to introduce young women to the career opportunities available in the commercial real estate industry. The program’s long-term goal is to affect change in the commercial real estate industry, which has historically favored men.

During the CREW Careers program, girls from Edison High School, Miami, will join local leading businesswomen — brokers, appraisers, lawyers, interior designers, property managers, and other professionals — to learn the skill sets needed to succeed in what is considered a male-dominated profession. This year’s 6-week program will be launched on campus at Edison High School next Wednesday, March 14th,  with guest speaker Sonia Jacobson of Suited for Success giving the 30 participants tips on how to dress for a business interview. 

Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s largest privately held commercial real estate firm, is a main sponsor of the program together with underwriters that include KeyBank, Starbucks, Holland & Knight LLP, and Akerman Senterfitt Attorneys at Law, McCarthy Building Companies, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and Regency Centers. Other partners include Appraisal Institute Education Trusts, CREW Miami, Grant Thornton LLP and Perkins Coie, LLP.

Coming Up

Tuesday, March 13, 6:00 p.m.: “South Florida: A Regional Vision for our Future,” a dinner and discussion program sponsored by The Urban Environment League of Greater Miami with featured speaker James F. Murley, director of the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University, among the foremost leaders in the field of smart growth, new urbanism and Florida's growth management efforts. Takes place at The Miami River Inn, 118 SW South River Drive, Miami, Florida. Cost of admission is $25 for UEL Members and $30 for others. Advance reservations required. For more information call 305-325-0045.

Wednesday, March 14, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.: The Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) Real Estate Sphere of Influence Group has a meeting. The newly organized affinity group reflects a wide array of industry specialists including inspectors, appraisers, agents, mortgage brokers, environmentalists, 1031 Exchanges specialists, landscape architects and attorneys. Takes place at Empire Plumbing, 1754 Bay Road, Miami Beach. Info: 305-573-4000 or info@gogaymiami.com. 

Sat. March 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: The Annual Tour of Miami Beach Gardens and fundraiser, sponsored by the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, showcase six residential gardens. Forget sneak peaks behind the gates — this tour takes visitors into the private yards of some of the most interesting homes on Miami Beach to see the diversity of local gardening from waterfront estates to urban terraces. Cost is $20 in advance, $25 on the day of the tour. Info: 305-673-7256 x. 206 or iaguilera@mbgarden.org.

Thursday, March 29, 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.: ULI-Breakfast Program entitled “What to Do When the Development Fails:  The In's and Out's of Workouts.” What does the ULI mean by “workout”? Answer: A “workout” is a situation where financial circumstances have changed, e.g. building costs have gone up and selling prices have gone down, and the project no longer makes sense for the developer. A  panel of experts will discuss common problems found in developments that don’t meet expectations, how to address secured lenders, mezzanine lenders, loan-to-own lenders, material men, purchasers, contract holders, lessees, governmental agencies and others as problems are identified and addressed. The bankruptcy alternative will be discussed, as well as the use of receivers and consultants in out-of-court workouts. Takes place at the JW Marriott Hotel Miami at 1109 Brickell Avenue, Miami. Cost varies and guests must register by March 26. More info can be found online at www.seflorida.uli.org or by calling 1-800-321-5011 Reference Event #8135-0708.

Helen Hill is a freelance writer specializing in real estate and lifestyle topics.

Please send news items on Miami-Dade real estate to hhill@miamisunpost.com.